The morning rays of light dance across his cheeks as if scanning for proof he’s all a dream.

His face relaxed and almost unrecognizable in sleep.

I blow a quick stream of air at him, restoring that familiar furrow between his brows, his mouth naturally reverting to a frown.

It’s an expected expression.

One of consistent displeasure.

One I love to provoke any chance I get, for my own entertainment.

We’re alike, he and I.

His favorite color? No idea.

But his darkest secrets?

Those, I know well.

I mask mine with a smile, while he wears a shield of defiance.

Openly adorning his fury at the world and any who dare to enter his.

It’s adorable, honestly.

His nose wrinkles, as if he can hear my thoughts, before he sends a harsh breath from it.

Deep sleepy voice mumbling something as he turns on his side to face me.

I note the moment he realizes he’s not alone.

His whole body stiffens.

One eye peels open and pins on me.

I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t staring, so, I wave.

He exhales a long breath as if he’d been holding it all night.

“What are you doing?” he grumbles defeatedly.

My head jerks back.

I look down at him like he’s lost his mind.

“Waiting for you to get up so we can go outside and play,” I answer, like it’s obvious.

I’m given a slow blink in response.

He must not be a morning person anymore.

I wouldn’t know.

I’ve usually left before he actually wakes.

“What’s your favorite color, by the way,” I ask the king conversationally.

He slowly sits up until his sheets bunch at his waist, palms pressing roughly into his eyes like he’s trying to reset his vision.

Lowering his hands, he scans where I stand, visibly deflating in disappointment.

“Red,” he reluctantly answers.

My sharp inhale escapes my wide grin.

_We really are the same. _

I’m so distracted by the development that I don’t realize he’s being intentionally disarming until a throwing blade is embedded in my left shoulder.

I groan as a severed red curl tumbles to the ground.

“Not the hair,” I whine, removing the blade with a restrained hiss and tossing it back in his general direction.

It only deters him for a moment as I turn to bolt back out the open window I entered.

I dive off the balcony just as he reaches it, his booming voice barely carrying through the air caught in my unfurled wings.

“I’m going to kill you,” he vows loudly.

Distant thunderous running steps indicates his guards are finally awake.

I’d suggest he get better ones, but their ineptitude has served me well so far.

I smile and shake my head.

Turning to hover above his balcony, I look down and taunt, “No, you won’t.”

I can see his grip tightening on the railing from here.

“And why not?” He calls back furiously.

I swoop down before my longtime friend turned enemy can track my move, bracing my hands firmly over his as I answer in his ear, “Because we’re the same, and if we were killers, you’d already be dead.”